CITURS FRUIT PRICE REGULATIONS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23745, 17 September 1942, Page 4

CITURS FRUIT PRICE REGULATIONS

* SOME BREACHES REPORTED Reports he had heard that some retailers had not been complying with the requirements of the Citrus Fruit Price Regulations had made it necessary for him to issue a reminder about prices which could be charged for imported oranges, lemons, and grapefruit and New Zealand lemons, said Mr J. A. Manton. manager of the Internal Marketing Division, Christchurch, yesterday. The regulations, he said, stipulated that the retail price had to be ticketed on the basis of so much a dozen. Prices based on the regulations, he said, were (the figures representing m the order given, count, wholesale case price, and retail dozen price):— Oranges: 96, 255, 4s lOd; 112, 28s 3d, 4s 8d; 126, 295, 4s 3d; 150, 31s 6d, 3s )0d; 176, 345, 3s 6d; 200, 365, 3s 3d; 216. 365, 3s 3d; 252, 32s 6d, 2s 4d; 288, 32s 6d, 2s Id; 324, 275, Is 7d. Lemons: 176. 38s 6d, 3s 9d; 200, 40s 6d, 3s sd; 210, 40s 6d, 3s 2d; 252, 44s 6d, 3s; 288, 47s 6d, 2s 10d; 294, 47s 6d, 2s 9d; 344, 525, 2s 7d; 392. 53s 6d, 2s 4d; 432, 535, 2s Id, Grapefruit: 60, 28s, 7s lid; 64, 29s 9d, 7s lOd; 80, 32s 9d, 6s lid; 96, 36s 6d, 6s sd; 112, 38s, 5s 9d; 126, 36s 9d, 4s lid; 150, 365, 4s Id. The retail prices, Mr Manton said, were the maximum which could be charged. Any retail sale of fruit in quantities less than 12 had to be made only at a price, computed to the nearest ]d, bearing the same proportion to the appropriate retail price a dozen. The wholesale prices quoted were those ruling at present, and there was no indication that they would be altered, though 2s 6d a case would be added if the fruit had to be repacked. The retail prices were based on an allowance of 40 per cent, gross profit to the retailer. CONTROL OF ORANGE I PRICES But for the control by the Internal Marketing Divisiop. members of the public might be asked to pay Is each for imported oranges and similarly high prices for other imported citrus fruits, said the secretary of the Canterbury Fruitbuyers’ Association (Mr G. L, Rogers) yesterday. Recent prices brought for New Zealand oranges (not under the division’s control) indicated that Australian oranges would bring from £3 10s to £4 a case at auction, he said, involving a probable retail price of Is each. Under the division’s control, wholesale prices were fixed at a reasonable level and supplies were distributed among retailers on the basis of allocations agreed on by representatives of the brokers and the retailers. Officials of the association and of the division, Mr Rogers said, had made a genuine effort to protect the public from certain retailers who were taking advantage of the position to charge higher prices than those fixed under the Citrus Fruit Prices and Conditions Notice. More Australian oranges were expected in Christchurch and even greater efforts would be made to see that the regulation price schedule was adhered to. Public co-operation was sought in reporting breaches of the regulations.